And that not of yourselves ...

[lao tzu]

I was just lurking one of those Orthodox vs. Catholics threads, where George Blaisdell brought up the interpretation of Ephesians 2:8.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Now, I've always read the demonstrative "that" as a reference to faith, but George suggested it was instead demonstrative of grace. After thinking about this for a bit, I recognized that this was an ambiguity I can't resolve by looking at the English. So, if someone could tell me if the ambiguity is resolved in the original Greek, I'd appreciate it.

As ever, Jesse

[sonnyboy]

Barnes Notes: And that not of yourselves - That is, salvation does not proceed from yourselves. The word rendered "that" - τοῦτο touto - is in the neuter gender, and the word "faith" - πίστις pistis - is in the feminine. The word "that," therefore, does not refer particularly to faith, as being the gift of God, but to "the salvation by grace" of which he had been speaking. This is the interpretation of the passage which is the most obvious, and which is now generally conceded to be the true one; see Bloomfield. Many critics, however, as Doddridge, Beza, Piscator, and Chrysostom, maintain that the word "that" (τοῦτο touto) refers to "faith" (πίστις pistis); and Doddridge maintains that such a use is common in the New Testament. As a matter of grammar this opinion is certainly doubtful, if not untenable; but as a matter of theology it is a question of very little importance.

[Phat8594]

Now, I've always read the demonstrative "that" as a reference to faith, but George suggested it was instead demonstrative of grace. After thinking about this for a bit, I recognized that this was an ambiguity I can't resolve by looking at the English. So, if someone could tell me if the ambiguity is resolved in the original Greek, I'd appreciate it.

Gender of "that" and "faith" are not the same. Therefore, "that" is not talking about "faith"...it is talking about the idea of salvation in general.

I hope that helps.